Overhead transport and route management system

Abstract

An overhead transport system includes a suspended railway and a motorized carrier configured to travel along the suspended railway. The motorized carrier includes a motorized trolley configured to move the motorized carrier along the suspended railway, chassis/beam configured to carry an object below the motorized trolley, and a bumper and deflection system configured to prevent the object from contacting another object.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An overhead transport and route management system comprising:
 a suspended railway extending in the longitudinal direction; 
 a first motorized carrier configured to travel along said suspended railway carrying a first container wherein said first motorized carrier comprises a bumper and deflection system configured to prevent said first container from contacting a second container; and 
 a second motorized carrier configured to travel along said suspended railway carrying said second container. 
 
     
     
       2. The overhead transport and route management system of  claim 1 , wherein said suspended railway comprises:
 an at least one track switch configured to communicate directly with said first motorized carrier to selectively direct said first motorized carrier to different portions of said suspended railway. 
 
     
     
       3. The overhead transport and route management system of  claim 1 , wherein said suspended railway is multi-tiered and multi-tracked. 
     
     
       4. The overhead transport and route management system of  claim 1  wherein said suspended railway further comprises:
 an at least one electric power pick-up point. 
 
     
     
       5. An overhead transport and route management system comprising:
 a suspended railway extending in the longitudinal direction; 
 a first motorized carrier configured to travel along said suspended railway carrying a first container; 
 a second motorized carrier configured to travel along said suspended railway carrying a second container; and 
 a remote control system configured to synchronize operation of said first motorized carrier and said second motorized carrier. 
 
     
     
       6. The overhead transport and route management system of  claim 5 , wherein an at least one track switch communicates wirelessly with said remote control system. 
     
     
       7. The overhead transport and route management system of  claim 5 , wherein said remote control system is configured to adjust the maximum speed of said first motorized carrier. 
     
     
       8. The overhead transport and route management system of  claim 5 , wherein said remote control system is configured to adjust the minimal allowable distance between said first motorized carrier and said second motorized carrier. 
     
     
       9. The overhead transport and route management system of  claim 5 , wherein said remote control system is configured to monitor conditions of said first container. 
     
     
       10. The overhead transport and route management system of  claim 9 , wherein said remote control system is configured to adjust the maximum speed of said first motorized carrier based on said conditions of said first container. 
     
     
       11. The overhead transport and route management system of  claim 9 , wherein said remote control system is configured to adjust the minimum allowable distance between said first motorized carrier and said second motorized carrier based on said conditions of said first container. 
     
     
       12. The overhead transport and route management system of  claim 9 , wherein said conditions of said first container are used to prioritize transport and delivery of said first container over said second container. 
     
     
       13. An overhead transport and route management system comprising:
 a suspended railway extending in the longitudinal direction; 
 a first motorized carrier configured to travel along said suspended railway carrying a first container; and 
 a second motorized carrier configured to travel along said suspended railway carrying a second container, 
 wherein said first motorized carrier includes an electric motor with an internal braking mechanism capable of providing regenerative power. 
 
     
     
       14. The overhead transport and route management system of  claim 13  wherein said suspended railway further comprises:
 at least one electric power pick-up point. 
 
     
     
       15. The overhead transport and route management system of  claim 13  wherein said first motorized carrier comprises:
 a first motorized trolley configured to move said first motorized carrier along said suspended railway, wherein said electric motor is configured to receive power from and deliver power to an a least one electric power pick-up point. 
 
     
     
       16. The overhead transport and route management system of  claim 13 , wherein said suspended railway is multi-tiered and multi-tracked. 
     
     
       17. An overhead transport and route management system comprising:
 a suspended railway extending in the longitudinal direction; 
 a first motorized carrier configured to travel along said suspended railway carrying a first container; and 
 a second motorized carrier configured to travel along said suspended railway carrying a second container, 
 wherein said first motorized carrier comprises at least one spatial sensor for providing information regarding location and movement of said first motorized carrier to a remote control system. 
 
     
     
       18. The overhead transport and route management system of  claim 17  wherein said first motorized carrier comprises an on-board control system configured to control acceleration and deceleration of said first motorized carrier and communicate spatial information detected by said at least one spatial sensor to said remote control system. 
     
     
       19. The overhead transport and route management system of  claim 17 , wherein said suspended railway is multi-tiered and multi-tracked. 
     
     
       20. The overhead transport and route management system of  claim 17 , wherein said suspended railway comprises an at least one track switch configured to communicate directly with said first motorized carrier to selectively direct said first motorized carrier to different portions of said suspended railway.